Elsa Kent saddle's up for Climate Ride from John O'Groats to Land's End
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A young student, who will be setting out on an epic horseback trek from John O'Groats to Land's End next week, is looking for help while she makes her preparations in Caithness.
Elsa Kent (22) is undertaking The Climate Ride, which will cover over 1000 miles, in a bid to raise awareness of environmental education. She hopes to complete the trek in time to start her master's degree in ecology this September.
She set out on her journey to transport her two horses from the family farm on the Devon/Cornwall border today (Friday, June 25), and plans to arrive in Caithness on Monday. Elsa hopes to find a safe paddock near John O'Groats to allow her 17-year-old American Quarter horse Rosie and her seven-year-old part bred Welsh mare Summer to rest up for a day before they set off.
She will ride one horse and lead the other, swapping over at the half way point each day of the journey, and will be accompanied by her one-year-old homebred border collie, Fergal.
Elsa explained: "The enormity of this challenge is gradually sinking in as preparation continues – I would be so massively grateful for any suggestions and advice, including beautiful routes, places to stay, any useful equipment.
"For me this is all about trying to bring environmental education into schools more widely, to make learning about nature, and how to protect it, more accessible for everyone, especially given our current climate crisis."
If the weather is good she may decide to do a few miles on Tuesday, otherwise she will set off on the start of her ride on Wednesday heading towards Mybster on the back roads. She is happy for local riders to accompany her on the first stages or to come join her as she sets off from John O'Groats.
For the first few days she will be following the same route taken by Scottish actor Louis Hall who embarked on The Big Hoof ride last July with the help of Ruaridh Ormiston, of Highland Horse Fun Kingussie, who has also given Elsa assistance with her plans. This trek followed a trail alongside Loch More and through the Flow Country.
When asked why she decided to embark on this epic challenge, she said: "Years and years ago we had a family friend riding around the whole world on horse back over 10 years. He came back from South America and had brought me this felt waistcoat."
Elsa explained that she was pretty pony mad at that stage and wanted to do something similar. "It is finally happening," she said. "After working in Kenya teaching environmental education, for me it is about trying to get people educated not to spoil nature. The image of someone riding and going slowly is wrapped up in that."
She added: "The funds raised will go towards three key projects in a bid to bring environmental education to the forefront of conversation, and policy, in a time of climate emergency."
The three projects are ThoughtBox Education, a non-profit organisation helping millions of young people develop social, emotional and global wellbeing, Kivukoni School Environmental Education Centre, Kenya, to carry out its world-class sustainability programme, uniting the community to protect land and sea, and the International Environmental Education Festival, to help create an annual event which will bring together world-leaders in environmental education.
Her journey can be followed on The Climate Ride Facebook page and donations can be made at GoFundMe.
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